Wish I could blame a Writer's Strike or something for the long gap in posts, but the truth is I just stopped posting. The excuse is that I was sent to Vancouver for a week on a course for work, lost internet connectivity for the duration, and fell out of the habit. The reality is more that I just never bothered to resume after I got back.
In the gap, I watched the 2nd season of The Wire. Truly it is one of the best written dramas on television, with strong characters and interesting things to tell us about the modern human condition. Of course, the downside is that it makes it hard to watch more than a couple episodes at a time. Much like with Battlestar Galactica or Angel, I find my emotional investment in the characters makes watching a draining event.
The flip side to this would be The Shield, which I've also been watching. Another finely done drama, with strong characters; however, the emotional investment here is less and the stories are just a little more fun over all. This compares well with Dexter – both shows are great, but I am able to maintain a separation from the main characters that makes them both easier to watch.
On the book front, it's been mostly more history, as I continue to plow through WWII and Roman history. On the fiction front, I've been encouraged to try some Tim Powers, so have started Last Call – almost immediately I'm in love with how it combines at least three, maybe four of my interests: mobsters, poker, the Tarot, and The Golden Bough. I'm immediately aware of why my friends have been pushing me to read his stuff, and look forward to finishing it soon.
In the local news, there's a real rumpus being raised over plans to move our Needle Exchange from its current location to a spot just down the block from the Catholic elementary school. There's been lots of protesting parents, signs up, and ruffled feathers all around. I think my favorite quote so far would be from Vancouver Island Health Authority president Howard Waldner:
This is not the way we wanted to begin the process. I wanted full consultation once we had confirmation this building was available to us.
As some parents rightly point out, that's consultation after the fact and essentially a presentation of a fait accompli. For my part, I'm thinking "No shit this isn't the way you wanted to begin the process…" Most people like to begin the process by not getting protested.
Something that also amused me is related to the reporting around the recently released Transport Safety Board report on the sinking of the Queen of the North some two years ago now. The gist of the report is that the two people on the bridge at the time of the accident were distracted. Initial reporting suggested they were involved in an "intimate conversation" at the time, but subsequent reporting changed this to "personal conversation".
Intimate Conversation = code for 'having sex'
Personal Conversation = code for 'breaking up'
It's since become clear that the pair, who had a relationship, had broken up the day before and that their shift on the bridge was the first time they'd been paired since the break up. I'd say that was likely a fairly heated "personal conversation" they were having when the ferry ran aground.
Of course, it's also being made clear that there were other contributing factors to the accident which helps deflect the possibility of BC Ferries being the sole responsible party in the event of a lawsuit. I'm mostly convinced that was the reason for the TSB investigation in the first place – to reduce the insurance exposure of the Corporation. Just a gut feeling, that.
Anyway, it's good to be back and I hope to keep this up.
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